Reasons for not taking melatonin during flight?
After my last intercontinental flight (8 hours difference between arrival and departure airport) I used melatonin to cope with jet lag and it worked pretty fine. I was able to have some decent sleep, without being awake overnight.
For my next trip on the same route, I am wondering if taking melatonin during the flight would be advisable or are there any reason why I should avoid it.
I am flying as passenger, not as crew member, and the departure time is in the early afternoon (evening at destination). So I was thinking that taking melatonin shortly after departure would set me on the "right" time zone one day earlier.
Best Answer
Taking melatonin during your long haul flight is fine. However, be careful of the following two points:
Take melatonin after takeoff. I had to deal with way to many people that were falling asleep while the plane was disembarked due to technical reasons or similar.
Check if the contry you're travelling to prohibits the use of your medication. If so, you could face some serious fines or even jail time for "smuggling" drugs. If this is the case and you are flying to e.g. the UAE, take only one pill with you and be sure to use it before you reach the UAE.
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Can you take melatonin while flying?
Doctors consider melatonin especially effective for eastward travel and for travel that lasts longer than three days. For eastward travel, Dr. Sak suggests that adults take melatonin at bedtime for five days after arriving at their destination.When should I take melatonin for a flight?
If you're trying to reset your body clock to an earlier time, such as after flying east, you should take melatonin at local bedtime nightly until you have become adapted to local time. If you're trying to reset your body clock to a later time, such as after flying west, melatonin should be taken in the morning.Is there any reason not to take melatonin?
Less common melatonin side effects might include short-lasting feelings of depression, mild tremor, mild anxiety, abdominal cramps, irritability, reduced alertness, confusion or disorientation. Because melatonin can cause daytime drowsiness, don't drive or use machinery within five hours of taking the supplement.Does melatonin cause jet lag?
In 9 out of 10 of the studies the researchers reviewed, melatonin was found to decrease jet lag in people crossing five or more time zones. This decrease in jet lag was seen when melatonin was taken close to the local bedtime at the destination.Do you take melatonin to help sleep? You might want to hear what Dr Marc has to say
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Answer 2
I see absolutely no reasons why you shouldn’t. It’s not like it’s strong medication that will knock you out, but people even take those kinds on board an airplane. At best this will make it a bit easier to fall asleep under the right conditions.
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